Valve says physical Steam Gift Cards are being discontinued after years of scams

What just happened? Sad news for those who look forward to receiving several Steam Gift Cards every birthday and holiday season. Valve has confirmed that, due to the number of scammers who use the cards, physical versions are being phased out and replaced entirely by digital gift cards.

In its Steam Support page for the Steam Wallet, Valve writes that physical Steam Gift Cards will be available at retailers only for a limited time.

Once these locations run out of stock, Valve will not be restocking them. It's expected that all retailers will run out of the cards by the end of 2026.

The company notes that since the cards were introduced in retail stores in 2012, their use by scammers has increased. Scammers use gift cards from major brands, coercing victims into purchasing them under the guise of paying taxes, bail, debts, or delivery fees for sweepstakes winnings.

Valve has responded with several actions to fight the scammers over the years, including working with retailers and law enforcement, making changes to the cards (such as adding a prominent scam warning), limiting redemption in the currency of a Steam wallet, limiting availability, and removing cards from sale when abnormal activity was observed.

Unfortunately, the criminals adapted to every restriction that Valve introduced. As such, the decision has been made to end the Steam Gift Card program at retail stores.

Valve added that while it will no longer be selling physical cards, users will still be able to redeem any existing cards on Steam whenever they choose, so there's no expiration deadline.

Valve says digital cards, which were introduced in 2017, are sticking around. The company added that it is working to improve the digital gift card experience.

Moving entirely to digital cards might thwart scammers' plans, but the loss of the physical option will be felt by those whose older and less tech-savvy friends and relatives have long used them as a go-to present. With some people unable or unwilling to buy a digital gift, many Steam users may have to settle for cash inside a greeting card instead.